WELCOME TO DARNALL FORUM'S COMMUNITY BLOG, with news and information about Darnall and the Forum. You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter @darnallForum or subscribe to our RSS news feed by entering your email address in the window at the foot of this page.

Friday, 27 November 2009

Today is the 10th of Dhul Hijjah, the Eid of al Adha (Eid of Sacrifice). For those on Hajj (pilgrimage) they will be coming to the end of their pilgrimage and Muslims throughout the world will be remembering the way of Abraham and celebrating Eid with family and friends. All of us at Darnall Forum would like to extend our sincere prayers or good wishes for a successful Hajj, and Eid Mubarak.

Eid al Adha is of particular relevance to the Christian and Muslim traditions, because the story of Abraham is shared by both faiths. Abraham's way is one that we are all encouraged to follow as Christians and Muslims. It is a story of trust, reliance and patience, shared by both faiths. Christians remember figures like Abraham as Advent approaches (this weekend) and they prepare for Christmas and its message of sacrifice and peace.

Wednesday, 25 November 2009

Darnall Library will be CLOSED for re-decoration from Friday 11 December and will reopen on Monday 4 January.A mobile library van will visit the LIDL car park from 3 till 4.15pm on Wednesday 16 and Wednesday 23 December.Borrowers can also take out up to 25 books over the holiday period.The library service is sorry for any inconvenience caused and wishes everyone a very happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

Thursday 3rd of December between 9.00am and 4.00pm at Darnall Children’s Centre and Greenland’s Nursery and Infants SchoolEnjoy a day of fun packed activities for you and your family. Arts and CraftsHennaIslamic CalligraphyPuppet and Card makingStory tellingCracker makingLearning and Information Stalls and refreshmentsFor further information contactNazia or Shabana at Darnall Forum on 0114 249 0099.Everybody welcome!

Cllrs Harry Harpham, Mary Lea, Mazher Iqbal & Martin Lawton (Chair of the East Community Assembly), Andy Christian (officer, East Community Assembly Team), 4 officers of the PCT/LIFT Project and 10 members of the public.

Darnall Health Centre

Simon Kirk from the PCT introduced the LIFT Project.He introduced Neil Charlesworth from Community First, the company which is building the health centre and Lyn Brandon and Elaine Needham, colleagues from the PCT.

The Urban Design Review Panel has considered the application to build the health centre and has decided that it must be a significant presence when viewed from Darnall Centre.A stained-glass window from the existing GPs’ surgery at Darnall Community Health will be incorporated into the new building.

A pharmacy and community facilities will be included.Over time more services could be provided from the Centre and it could be expanded in future.This process will be driven by the GPs’ consortium.Darnall Well-Being will have offices on the first floor as well as a public desk in reception.

The timescale is to sign contracts in March 2010 followed by a 12 month build period.

There are 67 car park spaces.Cllr Harpham asked about the travel plan to encourage staff to use public transport.Cllr Iqbal said it would be possible to monitor the use of the carp park.Simon Kirk explained that many staff need to be mobile because they move in and out of different health centres. In answer to a further question, it was stated that undercroft car parking would be too expensive.

It was pointed out that there is restricted parking on the opposite side of the road and residents have been in the habit of parking their cars on the site which the health centre will occupy.Cllr Iqbal said that Highways Officers are already supposed to be considering the restricted parking on Main Road.

A question was asked about the planting of the site.Would it become a shelter for anti-social behaviour?It will be sensitively fenced.

A question was asked about traffic management when residents will be trying to turn out of Elmham Road while patients and staff are trying to turn into the health centre.This will increase congestion on Main Road.The 52 bus service will pass the Centre.Everyone should be encouraged not to use their cars.The Forum will pass this comment to the Planning Officers.

There was discussion about better use of the courtyard by glazing it to enable all-weather use.This would have heating and lighting consequences for the building, as well as affecting privacy in the consulting areas.

Dr Czauderna introduced himself as Chair of Darnall Well-being and a retired GP.He commented on the absence of a green roof.It is Sheffield City Council policy to require these on public buildings of this size.It was also a fantastic opportunity to create additional public space for more creative use of the area currently set aside for the courtyard.He was concerned about co-ordination of the way the building is managed.Darnall Well-being would be able to deliver this service and make the Centre a well-being centre rather than a health centre, where all the services are joined up.He gave ‘stop smoking’ services as an example of something which is the responsibility of more than one user of the building.

The management of the building is being considered.The courtyard will not be covered.The building design achieves an excellent environmental standard.A green roof will reduce the amount of run-off rainwater that can be recycled.It will also require more maintenance.The heat and power will be provided by recycled cooking oil, achieving a 100% reduction in carbon use compared to current facilities. Surplus heat can be sold back to the grid.Air circulating round the generators will be used to warm the building in winter and cool it in summer.

Neil Parry from East End Quality of Life observed that green rooves have been found to be compatible with rain water collection in other buildings in Sheffield and Rotherham.The name of the centre should reflect the fact that it is about public health rather than treatment.The two overlap anyway through services such as social prescribing.

Public consultation will continue after the planning process ends.

There will be no surgical suites in the Centre, but there will be elbow room for consultations, etc.A diabetic treatment centre could, for example, be located in the health centre.Chronic conditions should not have to be managed in hospitals.Cllr Lea encouraged the PCT and Community First to get on with the project.

One GP practice will not be moving into the new health centre.Local pharmacies will be invited to tender to move into the pharmacy space in the centre, but it will have to be leased to the highest bidder.

Funding for Green Issues

Grants of £500 to £50 000 are available.Application forms will be available from the Forum office.

Small Highways Fund

There is £100,000 available for the East Community Assembly Area.The Assembly will not consider individual requests but it will consider community proposals.

There are still problems with the junction between Mather Road and Prince of Wales Road, but it is not a small highways project.The ceiling for a small highways project is £10,000.

There are not enough yellow lines on Oliver’s Drive.An obstruction caused an accident.

Bring out your Rubbish

There will be a BOYR day on 7th October in the Kettlebridge Area.The roads involved but they have already been leafleted.

Community Chest Fund

Application forms are available.A question was asked about the suggestion of having a ‘meet your neighbour’ day.This is an example of what the Councillors will fund.Neil Bishop said the Forum had some funding available for ‘meet your neighbour’ activities which bring people together from different faiths.

Public Questions

Problems with fly-tipping on Infield Lane.This could be a future agenda item.Neil Bishop pointed out there is a fly-tipping initiative.

Overloading of trams and use of the disabled/elderly persons’ seats by people who do not need them.Buses not stopping at bus stops.Cllr Iqbal said he was concerned abut overloading of trams.

Friends of MatherCommunityPark have no chair.There was an appeal for people to join a management committee so that they can apply for funding.

Links to other useful sites

How to join in

1) Follow us on Twitter @darnallforum2) To post a comment, click on the link beneath the post or previous comment to which you want to respond and write your message in the box.3) Complete the word recognition box, which is designed to stop spam.4) Then, if you have one, you can enter your Google username and password.5) Alternatively, you can click 'other' and enter your real name, or a nickname which you would like us to display, or you can click 'anonymous'.6) Then click 'Publish'. Your message will be sent to us for checking.7) We will know who you are but, if you have used a nickname or chosen to be anonymous, no one else will know.

Meet some of the staff

Left to right: Nazia, Neil, Shabana and Rahat

Our Chairperson

Mothiur Ra hman is the Forum's Chairperson

How our community team can help

Nazia, Neil and Zahira are the friendly voices on the end of the phone line when you call us and the people who deal with your visits, letters and emails.

They work closely with community groups and individuals who want to make a difference to Darnall. Nazia gives help and advice to people looking for work or training and is our adult community learning champion. Zahira runs various community development programmes.

We also have a team of adult community learning tutors who work closely with us. They help us run courses in IT, ESOL, employment skills, driving theory and other subjects.

If you want help with something which isn't listed here, and you live in Attercliffe, Darnall or Acres Hill, why not give us a ring anyway and we'll try to signpost you to the right place.

More about us

Darnall Forum’s day to day business is managed by a Board of local volunteers. Its vision statement is:

To create a listening space for the community, and

To work in partnership with other agencies and organisations to improve local services and help regenerate Darnall.

The Forum has four part-time staff who with local people to implement a Community Action Plan that was drawn-up after extensive consultation with all sections of the local community. The members of the Forum Board are drawn from the different faith and ethnic groups represented in the area and are elected by the members of the Forum at its AGM.

Darnall Forum is currently funded by Sheffield City Council, the European Social Fund and a small number of charitable trusts.

Darnall Forum also trades under the names D F Enterprise and Darnall Forum Trading, which reopened the community post office in 2010 and ran it for nearly eight years.

Consulting about our Community Action Plan

Here are the logos of some of the agencies which fund us.

The Main Aims of Darnall Forum are:

To create a forum where people can meet to raise issues of local concern, where the agenda is set by local people and where leadership and direction remain with local people.

To work together as women, men, young people, elders, black, white, disabled or able-bodies, of different faiths or none, recognising, respecting and valuing our differences.

To form links with key agencies and local enterprises in order to work in partnership with them, discuss their role in the area and – where necessary – challenge them.

To gather resources to support and deliver initiatives begun and supported by local people.

To ensure that there is a clear and agreed process by which the Forum makes and acts upon its decisions, and to ensure that the Forum Board is accountable to the membership.

Sheffield City Council Logo

What sort of organisation are we?

Darnall Forum is a voluntary sector organisation. It is a company limited by guarantee, (No. 03644311), and a registered charity (No. 1121396).

The Forum Board is made up of seven elected members of the Forum.

The Forum's charitable aims are urban regeneration and community development and community development.

European Social Fund

How to get in touch with us

T0114 249 0099Edarnallforum@gmail.com

Or you can write, or call in, to our offices at245 Main RoadDarnallSheffieldS9 4QD

Darnall Forum

Darnall Forum runs Darnall Post Office, provides employment advice and adult community learning, and brings together people who live and work in Darnall, Acres Hill and Attercliffe, a multi-faith and multicultural neighbourhood in Sheffield 9.